A SHOCKING Story
by Tursiops
Summary: Will Walter get a critically injured Pikachu to the Pokémon Center in time?


A SHOCKING Story  
a Pokémon Fan-Fic by Tursiops  
  
Rated PG - drama, mild language, lame puns ;)  
  
Part 1:  
A reVOLTing development  
-----------------------  
[A Diner on Route 7, Celadon City]  
  
Lineman Walter Stanton was on his lunch break when his radio  
suddenly squawked a message...  
  
*Unit 26, CL&P Dispatch.*   
"26, Go."  
*Investigate a report of a Pokémon on tower #42 east of Celadon.*  
"26, Roger. ETA 15 minutes."  
  
Walter clipped the radio back on it's holder on his toolbelt,   
took the last bite of his sandwich, paid the waitress for his meal   
and headed out of the diner toward his yellow service truck.  
  
On the truck door a picture of a Raichu dressed in lineman's   
coveralls, wearing a hard-hat and wielding a stylized lightning bolt  
with the words CELADON LIGHT & POWER written on it, reflected the   
midday sun.  
  
Walter fired up the engine, pulled out of the diner's parking lot  
and headed east on Route 7 towards where the main power lines   
feeding all of Celadon City could be seen off in the distance.  
  
"I just don't know," Walter mused, "How the heck Pokémon manage   
to get around those tower barriers."   
  
[Around the base of every power transmission tower, there is a   
barricade consisting of dense thorn bushes surrounded by a 12 foot   
high chain link fence, with barbed wire along the top to prevent   
people and stray Pokémon from climbing up onto the towers. Yet it   
still happens on occasion.]  
  
As Walter steered his truck through the midday traffic, his   
thoughts drifted back to his childhood days...  
  
Walter had always dreamed of becoming a Pokémon Trainer, but just  
before his 10th birthday, his Father, a Steamfitter, had a terrible   
accident during an overhaul of the S.S. Anne that left him paralyzed  
and in a wheelchair. While insurance paid his Father's medical bills,  
Walter had to get a part-time job to help pay the rent. Later, after   
Walter graduated from High School, he got his present job as a   
lineman with Celadon Light & Power.  
  
Walter never lost his interest in Pokémon however, and always had a   
soft spot in his heart for them. "Someday..." he thought.   
  
Walter's thoughts came back to the present, as he approached his  
exit. "Heh, a 29-year-old going to Professor Oak or Bill the   
Pokémaniac for a beginner's license that 10-year-olds normally get.   
That, or becoming the oldest freshman ever to attend Pokémon Tech...   
Yeah, right..."  
  
Walter turned off of Route 7 onto a dirt access road that ran along  
the path of the high voltage lines. "39... 40... 41..." Walter   
counted off the towers as he drove. "Ah, there you are!" Walter   
thought as he spotted a small yellow-and-brown Pokémon sitting on a   
support I-beam midway up the tower.  
  
"Hmm. Looks like a Pikachu. A small one. Probably a juvenile,"  
Walter thought. "I'd better get it down before it gets too close to  
those primaries..." Walter glanced at the distribution chart on his  
clipboard. "44KV. At least it isn't one of the big feeders. I can   
get to it with the bucket."  
  
Walter parked the service truck near the base of the tower, next to  
the fence and set the truck's hydraulic support legs. Checking his  
insulated gloves for holes with a shot of gas from the truck's  
nitrogen supply tank, Walter got himself ready to go rescue the   
stranded Pokémon.  
  
Up on the tower, the Pikachu watched the Human's activities.  
"Piika" it squeaked nervously. It had managed to wiggle under the  
fence, through a gap in the thornbushes and climb up the tower out  
of sheer curiosity, only to become nearly paralyzed with fear when   
it finally realized how high it had climbed. It was too afraid to   
try and climb down on it's own, and had been sitting up there for   
hours.   
  
Using the truck's insulated fiberglass bucket, or 'Cherry Picker',  
Walter began to lift himself up towards the terrified Pokémon.  
"Take it easy, little fella... I won't hurt you." Walter said softly   
to the frightened Pikachu. "Come on, you don't belong up here now."  
  
"Piiika, Piiika!" the Pikachu chattered at Walter, afraid of this  
stranger approaching him from below in that strange looking machine.  
"Piii-kaa!" Sparks danced around the Pikachu's cheeks as it began to   
back away along the support beam, frightened, and charging up for a   
Thundershock attack. Walter tried again to soothe the terrified   
electric mouse. "Easy there, little guy... I only want to help..."  
  
"Piii-kaaaa-CHUUU!!"  
  
The Pikachu threw it's Thundershock attack at Walter, but other than  
making the hair on Walter's arms and neck stand on end, it had no   
real effect due to the Pikachu's young age and the insulated   
fiberglass service bucket. Most of the electrical attack was   
dissipated by the grounded steel of the tower.  
  
Now, even more frightened and confused that it's Thundershock didn't   
seem to work, the Pikachu backed further away from Walter... right   
towards one of the high-voltage power line insulators.  
  
Walter froze, as he realized where the little Pikachu was heading.   
"NO! Stop! Don't back up! You're..." Just then the Pikachu's tail   
contacted the 'hot' end of the insulator...  
  
ZZZAAAATT!  
  
There was a blinding blue-white flash, as 44,000 volts A.C. arced   
across the insulator to the Pikachu's tail. Walter's vision   
cleared just in time to see the little Pikachu's body, still   
smoking, fall into the thorn bushes almost 30 feet below.  
  
"Awww, SHIT!" Walter swore. "Dammit, dammit, dammit..."  
Walter pulled down on the control lever, lowering the bucket over   
the fence toward the fallen Pokémon. "It's all my fault, I should   
have backed off before... before... ...damn!"  
  
Walter always loved his job. But the one thing that Walter does hate   
about it is the task of disposing of an electrocuted animal or   
Pokémon. Sadly, he has had to do this on a couple of occasions when   
a stray squirrel or Rattata had gotten up on the lines and been   
killed, but this was the first time he'd actually been there and   
witnessed it happening.  
  
With tears forming in his eyes, Walter reached down and gently   
picked up the limp, smoldering form of the Pikachu.  
  
Suddenly, the furry little body moved!!  
"chu-u-u---" it moaned faintly. Walter's jaw nearly hit the edge   
of the bucket.  
  
"Sweet Mother of Mew... It's still ALIVE!"  
  
---  
  
Part 2:  
The CURRENT Crisis  
------------------  
  
Walter held the badly burned Pikachu against his chest as he   
frantically shoved the control lever up and right, bringing   
the 'cherry picker' bucket up and over the fence, and down to   
the parked position on the service truck.  
  
Jumping out of the bucket, Walter ran over to the side of  
the truck, and yanked open a storage bin. Placing the now  
unconscious Pikachu on the open panel, Walter reached around  
and picked up a white toolbox with a red cross and a red 'P'  
stenciled on the lid. Opening the box, Walter saw an assortment   
of first-aid items, bandages, several vials and a yellow   
Pokédex with a red cross on the cover.  
  
Walter had never used the emergency Pokémon medical kit before,   
but he had taken the training course, a requirement since it's   
introduction by Bill the Pokémaniac over 2 years ago. All  
police, fire, municipal and utility vehicles carry one in case  
of an accident involving a Pokémon.  
  
Walter grabbed the Pokédex, and switched it on. The screen lit  
up and it booted up with the message: #This Pokédex is the   
property of Celadon Light and Power, and may be used only  
by authorized CL&P personnel. If found, place in any mailbox,  
Postage Guaranteed. Enter Authorization code to Activate.#  
  
Walter keyed in his authorization code, aimed the Pokédex's   
sensor at the injured Pikachu, and pressed the '+MED+' button.   
#Working...# The Pokédex displayed, then a few seconds later:  
#Subject: Pikachu. Status: Critical. Severe burns to tail, legs  
and torso. Life signs at critical levels, and falling.   
Immediate medical attention required. Subject is not stable for  
transport.#  
  
Walter furiously dug through the kit and found a potion and   
a burn heal, both of which were marked with expiration dates  
over a year old. "Damn, they forgot to renew the kit last   
year! I hope these are still good..."  
  
Walter sprayed the stale Burn Heal onto the Pikachu's injuries,   
followed by the Potion, and checked the Pokédex readout again.  
#Subject: Pikachu. Status: Severe. Serious burns to tail, legs  
and torso. Life signs at very low levels, but steady. Immediate  
medical attention required. Subject is stable for transport.#  
  
"Well, that's better than nothing... Hang in there little fella!"   
Walter quickly but gently wrapped the Pikachu's worst burns in   
sterile gauze, and shoved the kit back into the storage bin.   
  
Walter got back in the truck, placing the Pikachu on the seat   
next to him and started the engine. Dirt and gravel flew as   
Walter floored the accelerator, barely allowing enough time for   
the truck's support legs to retract. He keyed the radio.  
  
"CL&P Dispatch, Unit 26, Emergency!"  
*Roger 26, Go.*  
"I'm en route to Celadon Pokémon Center, with a juvenile Pikachu   
with extensive electrical burns. ETA 7 minutes."   
*Roger Unit 26, We'll call it in.*  
"Thanks, Unit 26 out."  
  
Walter fought the wheel as the service truck careened off of the  
dirt access road and back onto Route 7. "I sure hope that there's   
no traffic jams up ahead" Walter thought. "I can't afford any   
delay."   
  
"chu-u--"   
  
Walter glanced at the semi-conscious Pikachu. "I'm sorry. It was   
my fault that you got hurt... Please, just hold on. I promise   
I'll get you healed up. You'll be as good as new..."  
  
Suddenly, Walter saw a flashing blue light in his rear-view mirror.  
"Uh-oh, It's Officer Jenny." he glanced down at the speedometer.  
"94 MPH in a 45 zone, Damn... that'll be one helluva ticket...  
Sorry Officer, but I can't stop 'till I get to the Pokémon Center!"  
  
Walter sweatdropped as Officer Jenny's motorcycle closed the gap,   
then suddenly swerved around the truck and into the lead! "What   
the... A police escort?! Dispatch must have told her of the   
emergency! All Right! You're gonna make it for sure now, buddy...   
just hang in there a little longer..."  
  
"chuu---"  
  
---  
  
Part 3:  
WATT's Up, Pikachu?  
-------------------  
[Celadon Pokémon Center]  
  
Nurse Joy looked up from the monitor at the sound of a siren,   
followed by a screech of tires. "Chansey! Bring that gurney   
around to the front door, they're here!"   
  
"Chan-see!"  
  
Just as Nurse Joy and Chansey got up to the front door, it slid   
open, and Walter rushed in holding a bandaged and faintly crying   
Pikachu.  
  
"Here. Put it on the gurney, we're going right into the ER,"   
Nurse Joy said. "You'll have to wait out here."   
  
"But..." said Walter, but Nurse Joy, Chansey and the Pikachu were   
already disappearing into the surgery.  
  
"It'll be all right," Officer Jenny said to Walter as she put her  
hand reassuringly on his shaking shoulder. "From what I saw, You did  
a very good job with that first-aid kit, and this is one of the best  
Pokémon centers there is. I'm sure that your Pikachu will be just   
fine."  
  
"I..." Walter sighed. "I caused it. It was all MY fault. I didn't  
think that it would back away from me so quickly... I scared it  
into backing up into that power line..."  
  
"No," Officer Jenny said. "You were just trying to help it. It was  
an ACCIDENT, and it's NOT your fault."  
  
"I... I could have..." Walter stammered.  
  
"Could have, Would have, Should have... The point is, you SAVED  
it's life, THAT's what matters." Officer Jenny scolded Walter   
gently. "Now, I suggest that you get yourself something cold to   
drink, and get some rest. You're stressed out, and need to relax."  
  
With that, Officer Jenny escorted Walter over to the waiting   
area and pointed to a recliner. "And that's an Order, Mister."  
  
"Yes, Ma'am." Walter said as he sat down. A few minutes later,  
a Chansey came around the corner with a tray and a cold glass of   
soda. "Chansey" it said, offering the tray.  
  
Walter took the glass, and drank.   
  
[Five hours later]:  
  
Walter awoke with a start. Groggily, he rubbed his eyes and  
looked at his watch "What? I must've fallen asleep..."  
  
"For about five hours," Nurse Joy said from behind the desk.  
"I hope that you're feeling better, you were a total wreck  
when you arrived and you needed the rest, so I had Chansey  
give you a mild sedative to help you sleep."  
  
"The Pikachu! What about the Pikachu? How's it doing?" Walter   
said, rising unsteadily from the recliner and heading over to   
the admissions desk. "Is it going to make it?"  
  
"Your Pikachu is doing very well. It's resting comfortably  
in the recovery room," Nurse Joy said. "But it was touch-  
and-go there for awhile, it was very badly burned. Your  
first-aid definitely saved it's life, it wouldn't have had  
a chance otherwise."   
  
Nurse Joy gave Walter a sympathetic look. "One of the burns   
was especially bad, the one on it's tail. We had to remove   
about 1-1/2 inches from the tip of it's tail. It isn't enough   
to be debilitating, but I doubt that it will ever grow back."  
  
"Can I see it?" Walter asked. "Please?"  
  
"All right, but you must be quiet." Nurse Joy said. "You   
can stay with it for a little while, but it needs to rest."  
  
Nurse Joy escorted Walter over to the recovery room.  
Inside were about a dozen Pokémon, some in see-through  
plastic environment chambers, others in small hospital beds.  
  
Laying on one of the beds, with bandages on it's legs and  
tail and an I.V. in one arm, was the little Pikachu.  
  
"Those burns are healing very nicely," Nurse Joy said quietly  
to Walter. "It should be ready to be released by Tomorrow.  
The I.V. is a type of healing potion, but it works a bit slower,  
to prevent scarring and promote fur regrowth. Other than the  
missing tailtip, there should be almost no visible evidence of   
injury once the healing is complete."  
  
Walter slowly walked up to the little Pikachu's bedside.  
The Pikachu's eyes opened half-way, and sleepily regarded the   
Human. "Hi there, little fella." Walter said quietly. "You're   
going to be all right, just as I promised..." Tears formed in   
Walter's eyes, as he gently ran the back of his fingers across  
the Pokémon's cheek. "I'm so sorry... I was only trying to help.  
I didn't want you to get hurt."  
  
"Chuu." The Pikachu pressed it's cheek against Walter's hand.  
  
"I think that you have made a friend." Nurse Joy said, smiling.  
  
[Later The Next Day]:  
  
*Mr. Stanton... Mr. Walter Stanton... Please come to the  
admissions desk.* the P.A. chimed.  
  
Walter got up from the lounge and walked quickly down the hall  
toward the desk. "Yes?"  
  
"Good Afternoon, Mr. Stanton. Your Pikachu has completed treatment  
and is ready to go," Nurse Joy said cheerfully. "Your Pokémon  
license application is back and approved, so you can now legally  
take ownership of the Pikachu. And here's a list of exercises that   
you need to have your Pikachu do for 20 minutes three times daily   
for the next 2 weeks. That should restore lost muscle tone and range  
of motion. Please bring it back here for a follow-up exam at the   
end of next week."  
  
"Pi-Ka Pika!" From around the corner, a Chansey wheeled out the   
little Pikachu on a small cart. Just as Nurse Joy had said,  
Walter couldn't see any scars or missing fur on it, Only that the   
end of it's tail was gone.  
  
The Pikachu climbed up into Walter's arms, and snuggled it's   
cheek against Walter's face.  
  
"Hiya, little buddy... Ready to go for a ride? You'll like the  
guys back at the shop, they've been calling me to ask how well  
you're doing. Let's show them!"  
  
"Pika! Pikachu!"  
  
Walter thanked Nurse Joy, gathered his paperwork and walked   
out of the Pokémon center and over to his truck in the parking lot.  
  
"You know," Walter said to the Pikachu, "I need to put a name   
for you on this last form. Hmmm... What can I call you?   
Let me think a minute..."  
  
"Pika Pika?" the Pikachu pointed over to the picture of the  
Raichu on the door of Walter's service truck.  
  
"Oh, that's just Sparky, our company logo... Hey, that's it!  
We don't have a real Raichu as our company mascot, just a  
logo. How'd you like to become Celadon Light & Power's REAL  
mascot? Some day, you might even become a Raichu yourself!"  
  
Walter smiled at the Pikachu nestled in his arms.  
"Whaddaya say, 'Sparky'? you like that name?"  
  
"Pika! Pikachu!" The little Pikachu happily hugged his new   
friend.  
  
- End.   
  
... And Remember, Kids: "Don't let your Pokémon play around   
Power Lines!"  
  
.... "Can't Touch This" ....   
  
Pokémon (c) Game Freak  
(c) 02/21/2001 -Tursiops 


End file.
